diff --git a/qemu-sockets.c b/qemu-sockets.c
index cfed9c5a5b..225cd0c162 100644
--- a/qemu-sockets.c
+++ b/qemu-sockets.c
@@ -967,3 +967,10 @@ int socket_init(void)
 #endif
     return 0;
 }
+
+static int default_monitor_get_fd(Monitor *mon, const char *name, Error **errp)
+{
+    error_setg(errp, "only QEMU supports file descriptor passing");
+    return -1;
+}
+QEMU_WEAK_ALIAS(monitor_get_fd, default_monitor_get_fd);
diff --git a/qemu-tool.c b/qemu-tool.c
index da4c05aaf7..f2f98138ce 100644
--- a/qemu-tool.c
+++ b/qemu-tool.c
@@ -38,12 +38,6 @@ const char *qemu_get_vm_name(void)
 
 Monitor *cur_mon;
 
-int monitor_get_fd(Monitor *mon, const char *name, Error **errp)
-{
-    error_setg(errp, "only QEMU supports file descriptor passing");
-    return -1;
-}
-
 void vm_stop(RunState state)
 {
     abort();